US1136050A - Mail-box. - Google Patents

Description

H. RAZNY.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1914.

mfiwmm Pah ented Apr. 20, 1915.

Qwi/Weooao THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHCL. WASHINGTON. D. c.

pnirnn srarns rarnivr ornica HENRY BAZNY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pgaibqgnteedl Apr. 21), T9155.

Application filed September 2, 1914. Serial No. 859,730.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that T, HENRY RAZNY, a subject of the Czar of Russia, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mail boxes and collection receptacles, and the primary object of my invention is to furnish a box or receptacle with positive and reliable means, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, for preventing the box or receptacle from being rifled or the contents thereof surreptitiously removed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mail box or receptacle with an outer closure, an inner closure, and a tiltable guard. These three elements are adapted to move in unison when the box or receptacle is opened to permit of the deposit of a letter or other mail matter therein and the arrangement of the tiltable guard is such that it cooperates with a portion of the box or receptacle in providing a partition that prevents the fraudulent-removal of mail matter from said box.

In the general make up of the mail box, the parts are constructed with a view of reducing the cost of manufacture and at the same time retain the features by which durability, simplicity, and ease of assembling are secured, and with such ends in view my invention consists in a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mail box or collection receptacle; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view looking at one end wall of the box and showing the parts in normal position; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the box, looking at the other end wall thereof, and illustrating the closures of the box in an open position.

In the mail box which embodies the leading characteristics of my invention there is present the bottom plate 1, a rear wall 2, a front wall 3, a gable roof or top plate 4, and end walls 5 and 6. These elements are made of light and durable metal and are fabricated or made integral by castings or otherwise constructed to meet the requirements of Government specifications. The box can be suitably supported, for instance,

by a pedestal or a post, and the front wall 3 of the box is provided with a large rectangular opening 7 normally closed by a hinged door 8, which permits of easy access being bad to the lower part of the box for the removal of mail or collection matter. The door 8 when closed is preferably flush with the outer side of the wall 3 and a conventional form of Government lock can be emterial bordering upon the edges of this slot or opening is upset or bent to provide an upstanding flange 11. The walls of the opening 10 and the flange 11 are disposed at an angle relative to the vertical axis of the box, whereby mail matter deposited in the opening 10 will be directed toward the rear wall 2 of the box to impinge an angularly disposed deflector 12 connecting the end walls 5 and 6 and the rear wall 2, adiacent the gable roof of the box. The angularly disposed deflector 12 partitions off the upper part of the box from the lower part thereof, with the exception of an oblong opening 13 formed by the edge of the deflector 12, the walls 5 and'6 and the door 8 of the box, said opening permitting of the discharge of mail matter from the upper part of the box into the lower part thereof where it is retained to be removed by collectors opening the door 8.

Upon the outside of the gable roof or top plate 4 is a hinged outer closure 14 which is flanged and adapted to fit over the flange 11 and close the opening 10 of the box. This outer closure excludes rain and other foreign matter and can be manually opened, but mail matter cannot be deposited in the box unless an inner closure is manipulated as will presently appears The outer closure 14 has a stop 15 that engages the front side of the roof 4 and limits the opening movement of the closure. In some instances the stop 15 can be secured to the gable roof to be engaged by the outer closure as the same is raised to an open position.-

J ournaled in the end walls 5 and 6, below the front side of the roof 4 and contiguous to the front wall 3 of the box is a rock shaft 16, said shaft having an end thereof protruding from the end wall 6 and provided with a knob or handle 17, whereby the shaft can be easily rocked. Upon the shaft 16, within the box, is rigidly mounted an inner closure 18 adapted to engage the inner side of the roof and close the inner end of the opening 10. The inner closure 18, adjacent the end wall 6, has an apertured extension 19 connected by coiled retractile spring 2 0 to the inner side of the end wall 6. This retractile spring retains the inner clo sure in engagement with the inner side of the roof 4 and the inner end of the opening 10 normally closed thereby.

The opposite end of the inner closure 18 is closed or cut away, as indicated at 21, to provide clearance for the curved end of a rod 22 pivotally connected, as at 23 to the end of an arm 24 pivotally connected to the inner side of the end wall 5. The pivoted arm 24 is located directly beneath the inner closure 18 and is impinged thereby when said inner closure is swung to an open position. The movement of the inner closure 18 and the arm 24 is limited by a stop 26 carried by the inner side of the end wall 5.

Pivotally mounted between the end walls 5 and 6, adjacent to the front wall 3, is a tiltable angleguard 27 connected by a link 28 to the inner side of the inner closure 18, said link being located contiguous to the end wall 6.

The knob or handle 17 can be rotated only in one direction by reason of the inner closure 18 engaging the inner side of the roof 4. When the knob is located the inner closure 18 is swung to an open position and through the medium of a link 28 the tiltable angle guard 27 is lowered into engagement with the angularly disposed deflector 12, as best shown in Fig. 3. Simultaneous with the opening of the inner closure 18, the pivoted arm 24 is actuated and the rod 22 which extends normally into the opening 10, is projected through said opening to raise the outer closure 14 to the position shown in Fig. 3. The weight of the rod 22 is sufficient to retain the end of the arm 25 in engagement with the bottom side of the inner closure 18 when said closure is in the position shown in Fig. 2, consequently when the inner closure is swung to the position shown in Fig. 3, the outer closure is immediately opened. With both closures open the letter or other piece of mailing matter can be deposited in the opening 10 and in case of a letter, it generally assumes the position shown in dotted lines and designated A. The letter rests upon the angularly disposed deflector 12 against the lower edge of the inner closure, and as the closure as sumes normal position, the letter is tilted in the inner closure 18, assuming at one time during its movement the position indicated by dotted lines and designated B. The letter eventually sliding off of the deflector 12 through the opening 13 into the bottom of the mail box.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the tiltable angle guard 27 cooperates with the angularly disposed deflector 12 in partitioning the upper part of the box from the lower part thereof, when the inner and outer closures are opened, consequently the insertion of a wire or other device for surreptitiously removing the contents of the box cannot be accomplished since such de vice cannot pass through or between the deflector 12 and the tiltable guard 27. The closures, guard and deflector can be made of light and durable metal, and with the actuating mechanism located at the end walls of the box, there is little, if any, danger of mail matter interfering with the operation of the mechanism.

One embodiment of my invention has been illustrated but it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such changes as in the size, shape and manner of assemblage as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is '1. A mail box comprising a receptacle provided with an opening adapted to receive mail, inner and outer closures for the opening of said receptacle, an angularly disposed deflector arranged in said receptacle, a tiltable angle guardarranged in said receptacle and adapted to engage said deflector, a connection between said guard and said inner closure, means connected to said inner closure for maintaining said tiltable guard normally out of engagement with said deflector, and means at an end wall of said receptacle for simultaneously moving said inner closure and said guard.

2. A mail box comprising a receptacle provided with an opening adapted to receive mail matter, inner and outer closures for the opening of said receptacle, an angularly disposed deflector within said receptacle, a tiltable angle guard connected to said inner closure and adapted to engage said deflector, means connected to said inner closure for normally maintaining said guard out of engagement with said deflector, means at an end wall of said receptacle for swinging said inner closure to an open position, means aetuated by a movement of said inner closure for opening said outer closure.

3. A mail box comprising a receptacle having the top thereof provided with an opening adapted to receive mail matter, an outer closure upon the top of said receptacle for the opening thereof, an inner closure within said receptacle for the opening thereof, a tiltable guard Within said receptacle and connected to said inner closure, means at an end Wall of said receptacle for moving said inner closure, and means including a pivoted arm actuated by a movement of said inner closure for swinging said outer closure to an open position.

4. A mail box comprising a receptacle having the top thereof provided With an opening adapted to receive mail matter, an outer closure upon the top of said receptacle and adapted to normally close the opening thereof, an inner closure Within said receptacle and adapted to normally close the opening thereof, an angularly disposed deflector arranged Within said receptacle, a tiltable angle guard arranged Within said receptacle and connected to said inner closure and adapted to engage said deflector, means con nected to said inner closure for normally maintaining said guard out of engagement with said deflector, means at an end Wall of said receptacle for moving said inner closure, and means actuated by said inner closure for opening said outer closure.

5. A mail boX comprising a bottom plate, a front Wall, a rear Wall, end Walls, a gable roof, said gable roof having the front side thereof provided With an opening adapted to receive mail matter, an outer closure arranged upon said gable roof for the opening thereof, a rock shaft journaled in the end Walls of said box, an inner closure mounted upon said rock shaft and held normally against the inner side of the gable roof to close the opening thereof, an angular-1y disposed deflector connecting the end Walls of said box, a tiltable angle guard between the end Walls of said box and connected to said inner closure and adapted to engage said deflector, means connected to said inner closure for retaining said closure normally against said roof and said tiltable guard out of engagement with said deflector and means including an arm actuated by said inner clo sure for simultaneously opening said outer closure.

In testimony whereof I aflix in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY RAZNY.

my signature Witnesses:

KARL H. BUTLER, ANNA M. DoRR.

tl'opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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